


The Cruelest Winter

by AM78



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2019-06-18 17:04:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15490587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AM78/pseuds/AM78
Summary: Two years after Kagome's return to the Feudal era, the inhabitants of her village are facing hard times, as a harsh winter has left them desperately short of needed supplies. At their most dire moment, Sango receives an offer from an old acquaintance. An offer so lucrative and dangerous that it could ensure the town's prospects for survival...if it doesn't eliminate her own.





	1. Chapter 1

"And now, for my next act, it's time to play find the real Shippo!" Shippo blurted out. With a wave of his hand, the entire room was filled with identical copies of himself. Almost immediately, the children were scrambling around the room after them. Each time they caught one, the copy would vanish in a puff of smoke, a process of elimination that eventually would lead them to the real one.

Sango smiled as she watched her children scramble around after the copies, while silently praying they would avoid knocking over any furniture. Despite the hazards, Shippo's visit had turned into a godsend. Without him, keeping her children occupied on long nights such as this one, nights where they simply could not get to sleep before their father returned home, would have been a most difficult task. Of course there was something in it for Shippo as well, as he found a wonderful audience to test his fox magic on. There was no question his training at the fox demon academy had considerably improved his skill. Each time he returned, it seemed his illusions and transformations were more intricate and elaborate, now lasting a seemingly limitless duration.

The game was brought to a sudden halt as the twins found the real Shippo, pouncing on him while yelling triumphant victory cries even before all the copies had been dispersed. Sango beamed with pride at their sharp perception. "It won't be much longer now. Just a few more years." Only a few more years until they were ready to begin their training. Even with so much time still ahead, Sango still found herself constantly thinking of those days. The time when she could pass on her skills to the next generation and ensure the ways of her people would not vanish from the earth when she did.

Sighing heavily, Sango got up from her seat to put another log on the fire. Even watching the joyful sight of her children playing, she still found it hard to avoiding thinking of darker things, most notably the harsh winter facing the village. It had been yet another freezing winter day and even above all sounds of the house, she swore she could still hear the wind howling outside, like a constant threat itching to get in.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this", Sango thought to herself. All her life, her enemies had been obvious and tangible. Something that could be seen with the eyes engaged with a weapon. Now she faced a threat her experience and training had never prepared her for: A poor harvest, a crippling shortage of essential supplies, and a nation depleted by constant warfare among rival clans. With the looming threat of the coldest winter Sango had ever experienced in her lifetime, these conditions had all combined into a daily routine that wracked her with doubt about her uncertain future. A future where destitution and starvation was a serious possibility.

Yet even among all this there was a certain degree of irony. One could argue she and her companions were part of the problem. They had proven to be so effective at their jobs and they had effectively eliminated nearly all hostile demon activity in the local area, forcing them to travel far and wide in search of demon-slaying and exorism work. Now with the oncoming harsh winter and constantly clashing human armies, it was getting increasingly harder to find. Sango bitterly recalled her exchange with Miroku after his last trip.

"So how did your trip go?" Sango asked as soon as she released Miroku from her welcoming embrace. Even as she asked, she already feared the worst, seeing as he had not return with any apparent possessions.

"Not well, I'm afraid," Miroku replied. "Unfortunately the town decided they were not interested in my services."

"But why? You said they had been plagued by a demon spirit haunting on their fields. Why wouldn't they want you to help them get rid of it?"

Miroku seemed to tense up as he provided an explanation. "Yes that was indeed the case. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that in my youth, I had some prior transactions with that particular town. Transactions that it turns out they were unsatisfied with."

Sango's face quickly turned scarlet as she put together what this meant. "So in other words, you forgot about some con job you pulled off there many years ago that swindled them out of a small fortune. And when you returned now, they recognized you and chased you away with torches and pitch forks!"

"Well that's what it might seem like to someone who wasn't there. But I can assure you, my dear Sango, the truth is far more complex." said Miroku calmly.

"Really, how so?"

"I arrived during the day, so they didn't have torches. Also, not all of them had pitchforks. I think a few of them had spears..."

Needless to say that day had not been a particularly happy homecoming, though she couldn't help but laugh a bit at his attempts to defuse the situation. But that was weeks ago, and with the cold winter getting constantly worse since then, there was little to laugh about now. Miroku's current endeavor had taken him even farther away from home, and without Inuyasha to support him, as he had set out just days before the night of the new moon, which happened to be this very night. Once again fate seemed to be playing them a cruel hand, as all conditions of the outside world seemed to be conspiring against her and her budding family.

Still she had to cling to hope, hope that Miroku had found the work he was seeking. That he had found something, anything that would help them get by. To get through this horrible winter that had practically become an enemy in its own right. Having to explain to her twins and her son why they were cutting back on their meals was a prospect that had seemed unthinkable in the past, but now it truly was unknown what the future held. Sango and Miroku had even talked openly about the possibility of leaving the village in search of more prosperous places, though at this point the thought of giving up the village behind was simply out of the question. They simply couldn't bear the thought of leaving their old companions. The people who had become a second extended family to replace the ones they had lost.

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted as she saw her front door slide open. And there, standing between her and the darkness outside, stood Miroku. He was blanketed in snow, a testament to the snowfall that had recently started falling outside, and he was still shivering slightly despite his best attempts to appear perfectly composed. But it did not matter. Suddenly nothing mattered at this moment. Only that Miroku was here. Within seconds of his arrival, before he could even utter a single word, Miroku found himself covered in his wife's embrace, and soon joined in by three smaller pairs of arms as well as his children also rushed in to greet him.

As he embraced his loving family, Miroku suddenly leaned down to whisper something in her ear. This was hardly a new phenomenon. The first thing out of the monk's mouth after returning from a mission would often be something lecherous, something he at least had the good sense to realize were not appropriate for his kids to hear. But this time was different. This time his words were far more simple..and dire:

"Time to arm up, Sango. We're heading out. Now."

Sango stumbled backwards a few steps and stared blankly at her husband, trying to take in what he said, and possibly receive further instructions, only to see Miroku turn his attention to his children as if nothing had happened. With a quick motion, he picked up the twins playfully and spun them around in the air, while their younger brother tugged at his legs and waited for his turn.

For a moment, Sango wondered if she hand't actually heard him say anything. That it was something she had simply dreamed up. But she soon came to her senses. No, it was real alright. Miroku simply wasn't going to make a scene in front of their kids, not even in the most dire of circumstances. Quickly Sango turned away and headed to a backroom to gear up, smiling as she did so. "Miroku's acts may be questionable at times, but his dedication to his family is beyond reproach."

Upon reaching the room, Sango pulled her Hiraikotsu off the wall mounts, grabbed her Wakizashi from a hidden cabinet, and immediately began donning her slayer outfit, all the while her mind racing about what she was preparing for. Had Miroku actually hit the big score? Had he found an assignment so profitable and urgent it required the two of them to dash out into the snow storm in the middle of the night? Or was it more dire? An incoming demon raid? Whatever force that would involve would have to be formidable indeed to be coming here in this whether.

"Formidable and ignorant." Sango bitterly thought to herself. "Any force powerful enough to brave this storm would be most disappointed in the meager spoils they would find here."

Putting her thoughts aside, Sango tried to focus on the task at hand. This was just going to be another mission. She had done plenty of these since her "return to duty" following her previous childbirth. No reason to get overly anxious because this was the first one that would involve a romp through the snow. Sango had just finished putting on her winter wear over her uniform and strapping on her Wakizashi when she heard Miroku enter behind her. "Trust me Sango," he stated calmly, "we should take more then that."

Without missing a beat, Sango turned to face her husband. "How much more?"

"Everything."

With that, Miroku removed a key from his robe and unlocked a storage cabinet that held Sango's poison vials and his most prized recent possessions: A set of European snaphance firearms. A reward from a Portuguese trader for clearing out a demon infestation from his merchant vessel, they were so valuable and irreplaceable that Miroku almost never took them out on missions except when they appeared to exceptionally challenging. If Miroku was going to bring them along this time, the threat they were facing might be quite formidable indeed.

"Alright Miroku, are you going to tell me what's going on? Where on earth are we going, and who is going to take care of the kids?"

"I was able to talk Shippo into it," Miroku replied as he strapped on a brace of pistols and covered them up with his robe. "I had to promise I would take him on our next demon hunt in return, but it doesn't matter, we've got the utmost important task at hand."

"So what of it? Did you get us a job with that's highly time-sensitive? Or are we fighting off some invading force?"

"Neither, I'm afraid," explained Miroku. "The trip was a dead-end. I couldn't find work anywhere. The only important thing was what I found on the way home. I saw fire in the distance as I was coming into town, and even from far away I could still hear the sounds of battle. Something's out there, Sango. Something with a very strong demonic aura. Whatever is going on out there, it's too close for us to ignore. I'm not waiting till it shows up on our doorstep."

Sango was totally bewildered at this. "You mean we're charging out into a dark snowstorm just for a scouting mission?"

"I know, it's not ideal," Miroku acknowledged. "But we can't just let this be. It's too close to our home and too big a risk to be ignored. I've already told Inuyasha and Kagome. They'll be up all night as well, guarding the village."

"Well it's a damn shame this had to happen on the night of the new moon," Sango pointed out. "Sounds like we could use Inuyasha in his prime at the moment. Are you sure we shouldn't bring them along? Kagome is still as sharp as ever and even as a human, Inuyasha's still a better warrior then just about anyone you'd find in the village."

"That's why they're staying here. I'm not depriving our home of its best defenses while we're away." With that, Miroku pulled from the cabinet a bit of extra shot and powder, as well as his ultimate prize, the snaphance long arm. His ultimate solution for the loss of his wind tunnel. Using his sutras to enhance the bullets had enabled him to make it particularly devastating weapon against demons at long range, as now he could propel them well beyond their previous short throwing distance.

"Okay I understand," Sango replied, now resigned to her fate as she and Miroku finished collecting their equipment. "It's just that this wasn't was I had planned for your homecoming."

"Need I remind you that I just came back from out there?" Miroku pointed out, while also brushing off a bit of snow that had stuck to his robe. "I was kind of hoping for a little time by the fire myself. But think of it this way, you have been saying we never have the time to do anything together these days," Miroku pointed out. "Well now here's our chance. And all it's going to cost us is a little hypothermia."

"Oh you make it sound so wonderful," Sango jokingly replied. "Well I suppose if I have to freeze to death, there is no one I'd rather do it with then you."

"Now that's the spirit," said Miroku as he slid open the rear door of the house to the outside. "Now come my fair lady, our steed awaits."

"Of course". Sango thought to herself. Miroku had take a horse from the town stables. While it certainly made sense under the circumstances, it only made their current excursion even more miserable. Ever since she had allowed Kohaku to take Kirara with him on his personal journey, Sango had longed for ability to travel with her old companion. She had made a few feeble attempts at learning how to ride a horse, but all of them had ended horribly, usually with severe pain just a few steps short of broken bones. Apparently non-reasoning animals simply were not fit for her. Fortunately Miroku had never had any such troubles.

However, it didn't take long upon walking outside to see the necessity for more expedient transportation. Snow was swirling around and a dizzying pace, and while it had only started recently, it was already up to her ankles in some places. Trudging through this on foot was totally out of the question. Of course, the bitter cold wasn't making anything easier. It was so severe it felt as if the whether itself was assaulting her. Whatever this trip involved, one thing was for sure, it would have to be done fast.

As they both tramped out through the snow to the nearby horse, Miroku pointed off into the distance, and a quick glance in the direction he was pointed showed their destination: Sango could indeed see fire burning in the distance. And this was no mere camp fire from lost travelers. This was an intense blaze, as one would have to be in order to keep burning in freezing temperatures. She couldn't hear any sounds of battle as Miroku had, but with the swirling winds picking up intensity, it was hard to hear her own voice. Miroku was right. Whatever was out there had to be investigated...investigated and possibly dealt with.

Soon the reached the horse and Miroku climbed on first, extending his hand for her to join him. "That's it Sango, that's where were's going", he said as he saw her staring at the fire in the distance. "Want to take any guesses as to what it might be?"

"Well maybe we'll get lucky this time," Sango replied. "Maybe it's some rich merchant under attack, and he'll grant us a big reward for coming to his aid." With that, she took his hand and climbed onboard behind him."

"Sango? Now that doesn't sound like you. I thought I was supposed to be the greedy one."

"Well having three children to take care of can have that effect on you. Now come on, let's get going, this damn beast is making me uncomfortable already." Indeed, the horse was already bucking a bit, as if Sango's mere presence on its back was an unnatural act that needed to be corrected. In response, Sango quickly wrapped her arms around Miroku and pressed herself against him for extra support and warmth.

"Well I can't imagine what you mean, Sango," said Miroku as he felt his wife's body pressing tighter against him. "This is most relaxing, I must say. In fact, just a bit more and perhaps I won't be feeling the cold at-"

"Miroku!"

"Oh...yes. Fire, distance, threat to the village. Don't worry Sango, I'm ready for the task at hand."

"Good, because if I have to spend any more time on this blasted beast then I have to, I'm going to be the biggest threat you'll be facing today!"

Miroku needed no further encouragement. He immediately put his horse into a gallop, charging through the swirling winds and heavy snow. "Rest assured Sango, I'm just as eager to put an end to this little adventure as you are. I feel like I've already been through enough of this frozen misery to last a lifetime."

"I can certainly share your sentiment," replied Sango, who was already wondering how Miroku could stand being outside in this whether for so long. "But let's be realistic, when have things ever gone that smoothly for us?"

"A fair point, Miroku admitted. "But it doesn't matter. No matter what happens, no matter what's waiting for us out there, I promise I'll do whatever it takes to get us through this. If whatever is out there turns out to be hostile, we're going to make them regret ever coming so close to our home."


	2. Chapter 2

Miroku and Sango rode on to their destination in silence, both of their minds racing, thinking of what they might possibly be getting into and how best to handle it. Furthermore, it soon became apparent there were other issues they had to consider, most notably the whether, which was getting considerably worse. The falling snow was starting to increase, and was now swirling around them at a considerable pace. Whatever threat lay ahead of them would have to be handled fast.

As they closed in on their target, Sango was surprised to realize their path was leading them to one of the main dirt roads near town. This certainly didn't help explain things though. "Who on earth could be traveling down this road in such horrible weather at this hour?" She thought to herself. "There's nothing anywhere near this road that could provide any shelter for many miles. Nothing except...our home." Such thoughts did not allay her concerns one bit. There didn't seem to be any legitimate reason for anyone coming there at this time, let alone under such adverse conditions.

As soon as they got close, they dismounted and secured the horse to a tree. Then headed out to observe the scene using a clump of trees near the road as cover. What they observed caused their blood to chill. Even more so then the freezing weather around them. What they saw on the road was a caravan of three horse-drawn wagons, or at least what was left of them. All were broken and smashed, and two were on fire, a blaze so intense that the falling snow didn't hinder it one bit. And all around it was a scene of death. Dead horses and dead riders littered the scene. There was only one sign of life amid the wreckage. 8 of them to be exact. But this was not human or animal life, but an entirely different species altogether. One that immediately went into the minds of Sango and Miroku.

"Oni"

8 of the huge, lumbering troll-like demon monstrosities were shifting about amid the wreckage. One look at them was all the explanation they needed for the scene of destruction that lay before them. Though humanoid in body type, no one would mistake these monstrosities for humans, not with their bright red skin and sharp visible fangs. None were smaller then 10 feet tall, and they bore weapons far larger then anything a human could wield, large enough to make Sango's Hiraikotsu appear to be a child's toy by comparison. It was clear no mere human caravan stood the slightest chance against them, though Miroku was surprised to notice a few Oni corpses amid the human ones. "The team manning these wagons must have included at least some formidable warriors," he thought to himself. "Taking down an Oni with conventional weaponry is no small feat."

"Oni?" Sango whispered to Miroku as loud as she dared. For once the terrible weather conditions were giving them an advantage. The swirling winds and snow ensured the nearby demons had no chance of sensing them. Not even Inuyasha could have picked up their scent under these conditions. "What on earth are they doing here? We purged this area of all demon threats long ago. How could they have a lair here without our knowledge?"

Miroku was just as perplexed. "How indeed? And that's not the only mystery before us. Why were these wagons traveling down this road at such an ungodly hour, and in such frigid conditions? I can't see any reason they would be coming to our village, and even if they were, why not come during the day?"

Sango shook her head and started to pull the Hiraikotsu off her back. "I don't know, none of this makes sense. But we can worry about that later. Now that we know what we're up against, it's time to put an end to them. None of these demon scum are going to leave here alive!"

Miroku put a hand on his wife's shoulder in a gesture of caution. "Slow down Sango, we're doing no such thing."

"What? You can't be serious," replied Sango in a surprised tone. "Look what they did to these poor people!"

"I know. I hate to sound callous here, but it's not our problem or our fight. They're all gone now. There's nothing we can do for them. We're not going to risk our necks just for the sake of corpses."

This didn't seem to reassure Sango at all. "But you said it yourself, they're too close to our home to be ignored."

"Indeed they are," Miroku explained. "If they make even slightest movement in that direction, we're taking them on without a second thought. But if they don't, if they go off somewhere else, we're going to let them. There's just two of us, Sango, and 8 of them. And they can handle the adverse weather better than we can. Regardless of our skill, I'm not liking those numbers."

"So we should just let them go and hope they never come back?"

"Of course not. Well track them down to their lair first thing in the morning. With Inuyasha. And Kagome. And maybe a few dozen town militiamen just to be safe. And hopefully the weather will let up a bit by then also. Don't you see? There may not be any need to fight them at such an unfavorable position. All we're going to do for now is observe them and hope for the best."

Sango nodded her head and relaxed her grip on the Hiraikotsu. "You're right...I'm sorry Miroku. I let the moment get the better of me."

Miroku found himself smiling as he responded. "You say that as if your firey spirit isn't the reason i love you. But we're not going to risk taking those terrors by ourselves on without a damn good reason. Avenging unfortunate travelers isn't it. Just rest assured, if they make even the slightest turn toward the village, we're not letting them get any further.

"Agreed. But we need to be ready to fight them if it comes to that. You take position on that hill to the east," said Sango, pointing in the distance. "It should give you full view of the area and it will be a good spot to engage. I'm going to sneak in for a closer look."

Miroku shook his head. "Whoa hold on a second, Sango. I thought we agreed on no unnecessary risks. We can observe them just fine from back here."

"Don't worry," Sango assured him. "I won't let myself get detected. I've done close range observation of far more crafty and nimble demons before. I can handle these lumbering brutes. This could be important. If I can get close enough to hear their conversations, it might give us a clue of what they are doing out here, where they are going next, or maybe even where their lair is. That could save us a lot of trouble. If nothing else, I might at least be able to find out how long they are going to stay out here. Certainly you've noticed how bad the whether is getting. What if they are planning to stay out here for a long time? We can't just sit here watching them all night. The frigid winds could force us to leave before they do, and if we leave without learning any of those things, it would put us at a serious disadvantage."

Miroku cursed himself inwardly. As much as he hated the idea of Sango sneaking up the Oni hoard by herself, he could find no flaws in her logic. Her plan and reasoning were perfectly sound. "Alright...Sango, you know I'll always trust you, just be careful out there. If there is even the slightest risk of being sighted before you get into earshot, just forget the whole thing and come back. We have other options, and they are a lot more preferable to taking on so many formidable opponents by ourselves."

"I understand," Said Sango. "But we need to be ready all the same. Just take your position and if we need to engage them, let me make the first move."

"Why you?"

"Because my weapon is almost completely silent," Sango pointed out. "That firestick of yours makes enough noise to wake the dead. The moment you use it they will know where to find you. Better to start with the quiet attack first. The best way to overcome their numbers is by sowing as much panic and confusion as possible. So it's best for you to hold back until I've already torn into them. Let them be the ones to experience fear this time. They will be as potent a weapon as anything else we have."

Miroku nodded. "Fine, but let's try not to let it come to that. Just get as close as you need to get, find what you want to hear, and come back here. Immediately. There's a warm fire and three children back home waiting for us, and it's starting to get more appealing every second."

"It's no less appealing to me, I assure you. Now get in position, it's time to get this done."

With that, they went their separate ways, with Sango closing in on the Oni group while Miroku rushed into position on the nearby hill. As soon as he arrived, he could tell Sango's choice of positioning was quite wise. The trees provided excellent cover, while the hill itself provided a perfect view of the entire scene. "Good choice Sango," Miroku thought to himself. "If it wasn't for the reloads, I could probably pick off every one of them from here."

Finding the spot on the hill that offered the best amount of cover and available view, Miroku primed his pistols for immediate use. Then he planted his staff in the ground, unslung his snaphance and placed the firearm through the center loop on top, using it stable firing port. Now ready to fire if necessary, he relaxed his grip slightly and waited for Sango move in.

"Alright you Oni scum, you did your bloody deed." Thought Miroku silently. "Just do whatever you still need to do and leave us in peace."

Suddenly another thought popped into his mind. One he realized he probably should have pondered earlier. "Say...I wonder how those two wagons ended up on fire..."

Weaving deftly around various positions of cover as she closed in on her target, Sango felt her blood pulsing, so much that it was nearly enough to make her forget about the freezing snow and howling winds. In her younger years, she would have enjoyed this work. The danger, the stakes, the ability to put years of training into practice. But that was another time. Heck, it was practically a lifetime ago. Now things were different, and so much more was at stake then her own life and her fellow slayers. This was not what she had planned on when she had agreed to follow her husband out at night into the unknown, and certainly not what she had prepared for. She had neither the optimal clothing nor equipment for close range observation of such numerous and deadly foes. But she had no regrets about her insistence on getting in close. This had to be done. For the sake of her village...her home.

She was getting closer now. Close enough to pick up the voices of the demons in her midst. Sango paused for a moment to strap on her gas mask and smiled as she saw the Oni clumsily lumbering about in front of her. They had no idea she was there. They weren't even taking any precautions against the possibility of an attack.

"Of course they wouldn't. Who would be crazy enough to take on these monstrosities under such horrid conditions? Who else but us?"

Finally she noticed an idea spot for concealed observation. A large rock formation very close to the road. Stealthily weaving her way from one obstacle to the next in her path in order to avoid being spotted, Sango made her way there and crouched low behind the boulders, hoping this would be enough to make out their dialogue, as it was clear there way to be no way to get any closer then this position.

Peeking out behind her cover, Sango got her first good look at the demons before her. Even for someone like Sango, a hardened veteran who had dealt with nearly every type of demon imaginable, they were enough to make her heart skip a beat. With their massively muscled bodies, firey red skin, and gargantuan weapons, they presented a terrifying prospect for any potential foe. The only comfort she could find was that they wore no armor, indeed one would be hard pressed to find a blacksmith who could make it in their size, but this was small consolation, as even with mere bare skin, the Oni could easily withstand injuries that would down even mightiest warriors.

Fortunately Sango found she had no problem making out their voices from her current location. After all, Oni were infamous for many things, but one of them wasn't being quiet.

"You damn fool!" She heard one of them shout. "We were just supposed to wipe out the crew, not the wagons along with them! You burned up the majority of the spoils!"

"Couldn't be helped", she heard another voice reply. "These supposedly meek humans put up one hell of a fight. No one told us this caravan would be so well defended."

"Is that what you are going to tell him? That these lowly humans with their blades and bows forced our hand? I don't think he will find this satisfactory."

"Let him complain to the high heavens for all I care. I'm not afraid of him. If he wants better results he can come out here himself. The lord's become a petty tyrant ever since we joined up. Sending us out here in this wretched weather after a few measely wagons. This is totally unworthy of our stature!"

Sango was baffled by what she was hearing. Who was this person, and why had he sent them here, after a few traveling wagons late at night? It seemed a surprisingly large amount of effort for an act of a common brigand gang. So far all she was learning only provided her with even more questions. Desperate to know more, Sango peeked out a bit further from the rocks, now getting a full view of the Oni, the wrecked wagons, and the overall scene before her.

"Oh enough of your drivel. Hopefully he'll be satisfied the deed is...", suddenly the Oni was cut off by a shout from one his companions.

"Hey look at this! We're not alone out here. Got ourselves some live ones!"

The statement hit Sango like a title wave. Had they spotted her? How? She had taken every possible precaution. Perhaps her long absence from demon slaying had degraded her skills after all. Either way it made no difference. She immediately pulled the Hiraikotsu off her back and readied it for a throw when suddenly a different Oni spoke up, with a mixture of both annoyance and sarcasm.

"What are babbling about, you worthless wretch? Has our little tussle out here got you seeing ghosts in the trees?"

"It's the humans. I see movement among the ruins. It seems a few of them still have the spark of life."

"Fucking parasites! They can't even die properly! We'll certainly take care of that. Gather round boys. It's time to finish this job. If you see any sign of life, snuff it out immediately."

"With pleasure", a different Oni replied. "After what they did to our comrades, this is going to be extremely satisfying."

Sango watched in stunned silence as all the Oni started clustering around the wrecked wagons. Her initial relief upon discovering she hadn't been spotted was quickly replaced with utter horror as she realized what was about to happen.

"Survivors from the wagons? I can't let them die."

Once again Sango readied the Hiraikotsu for a throw. Fortunately for her, this new development had left the Oni completely open to attack. With their attention diverted and their bodies illuminated by the blazing fire, they made perfect targets. She was just about to let the massive boomerang fly when suddenly she hesitated, recalling what Miroku had told her.

"Good lord what the hell am I doing? This isn't our fight. I'm dragging myself and my family into a conflict I know nothing about. Am I really willing to go through with this?"

Then she thought of Miroku, up high on his perch on the hill. What would he think of her starting a battle now, after she had given him her word that she had only moved in to observe the Oni? She could easily imagine his reaction of shock and rage. Of course he didn't know about the survivors amid ruins. Maybe knowing the circumstances he would understand. But he didn't, and there was no way to inform him. The decision was now hers and hers alone, and she found herself completely overwhelmed by the suddenness of it all. However strategically sound her plan had been, it had put her in an extremely unenviable position.

"Those are human lives out there. And they're the only ones who can tell us what we're dealing with! Can I really sit do nothing and leave them to their fate?

The Oni were now clustered together amid the wreckage, and starting to raise their weapons, clearly intending to complete their bloody deed. Sango sighed deeply and readied herself for what lay ahead. The situation she found herself in was so sudden and overwhelming. Like the weight of the world had been dropped on her. But there was no more time to curse the terrible weather, the cruel fate, or the sadistic choice that had landed at her feet. A decision had to be made, and it had to be made now.


	4. Chapter 4

"Fuck, how can such huge demons be so fast?" Miroku wondered from his hiding spot within the cluster of bushes. He had just finished ramming the bullet down the barrel of his snaphance, only to look and see three huge Oni had already arrived. They hadn't spotted him yet, but with their hightened senses, he feared it was only a matter of time. He immediately froze in his tracks, his ramrod still inside the barrel, knowing even the slightest movement might be enough to give his position away.

"WHERE THE HELL IS HE?" One of the demons bellowed, looking around in vain. "WHEN I FIND THAT MANGY VERMIN I'LL SMASH HIM TO DUST!"

"Damn coward probably fled," another Oni replied. "No way he'd stick around here to take us all on. I say we chase him down. He couldn't have gotten too far."

Miroku's spirits were lifted when he heard this remark. Perhaps they were about to give him the opportunity he was looking for. "Yeah that's right Oni. I'm a lowly cowardly human and I must have fled. Now go chase me down. I couldn't possibly be here waiting to blast you to oblivion the moment you get far enough away..."

"Nah I don't think he'd risk himself just to take down one of us and leave," said the third Oni. "I think he's still here. Just waiting for us to pass him by. Hell I don't even think there's just one of em. No way a scrawny human would try to take us all on alone. Probably a whole squad of soldiers around here looking for their lost wagons"

"Well we're not going to get anything done talking about it. Everyone search the area. Leave no stone unturned. If any more of these human germs are around here, we'll find them."

Miroku looked up from his hiding spot to see the Oni spread out and start searching area, cursing inwardly at his fate. While the hill had been an excellent shooting position, it was severely lacking in positions of cover. It wouldn't be long until they found him. Miroku knew he was on borrowed time now, and he had to make the most it. Slowly and deliberately, he slid his ramrod out of his gun barrel and gently placed it on the ground, deciding not to even bother taking the proper step of returning it to the proper seated positing on the musket's underside. While this would leave him unable to reload again, he knew it made no difference. There was no way on earth the demons were going to give him the time he needed for a second shot.

Suddenly he felt faint ground vibrations. There was no mistaking what this meant. At least one of the Oni was coming towards him, and fast. The bush cluster he was in provided excellent concealment, but it was a rather obvious hiding spot. A spot no one would be foolish enough to overlook. If ever there was a time when Miroku wished he still had the curse of the wind tunnel, this was it.

Slowly and steadily, Miroku moved to complete the last step in the loading process: moving the steel into position. Just a simple movement of the hand was all it would take to make the gun ready to fire. Figuring the foliage of the bushes and the swirling snow would provide him all the cover he needed to do this without detection, he cocked the steel into place over the flash pan, ready to generate the sparks needed to ignite the weapon's gunpowder with a pull of the trigger.

With that out of the way, Miroku looked up for any sign of the approaching Oni...just in time to see a huge scaly hand reaching out to him through darkness. Miroku had virtually no time to react as the massive Oni grabbed him by the collar of his robes and yanked him right out of the bushes.

"WELL LOOK WHAT I GOT HERE!" The demon shouted in glee, holding Miroku up in front of his face and alerting his Oni companions of his find.

Desperately Miroku tried to swing the musket he still gripping in his right hand into position for a shot at the Oni who had taken hold of him, but it took to much time to bring the ungainly 2-handed weapon up with only one hand and before he could do so, the Oni grabbed his right wrist with his free hand, twisting it back painfully until Miroku was forced to drop the gun.

"NO MORE OF THAT!" The Oni shouted triumphantly at the human struggling vainly in his grasp. Then he pulled back his first to deliver a blow that would doubtlessly shatter Miroku's face.

Or it would have, if Miroku hadn't stopped it by reaching into his robe, grabbing a handful of enchanted sutras and immediately tossing them right onto the torso of the giant Oni that was holding him up off the ground. The Oni didn't even realize what had happened before the sutras took effect, searing into his skin with devastating holy power. He immediately dropped Miroku to the ground and started screaming in agony, desperately trying to pull them off his body.

But Miroku wasn't about to give him the chance. As the demon tried the peel the sutras off his chest, Miroku picked his previously discarded staff off the ground from amid the bushes and swung at right at the Oni, slicing the fingers right off his hand. Bellowing out in pain, the demon was not phased for long, as he immediately tried to peel the sutras away with his other hand, but by now it was too late. The sutras on his body took full effect, causing the Oni to dissolve into ashes amid a brilliant flash of light.

This provided no respite for Mioroku, as another nearby Oni charged into the fray, nearly decapitating the weary Monk with a swing from his long Naginata polearm. Miroku managed to duck out of the way just in time, discarding his staff and picking his dropped musket off the ground in the process. His demon assailant followed up the missed attack with a hard downward chop. But once again Miroku was able to evade, this time with a diving forward roll straight between the giant Oni's massive legs.

Now survival would depend on which warrior could turn around and attack the fastest, and in this contest Miroku came out just a little bit ahead. As the Oni spun around, raising his Naginata for another attack, he saw Miroku kneeling in front of him, with his musket raised in perfect gunfighter form. What remained was only the booming sound of snaphance firearm ringing out through the woods and the bright flash from the muzzle as Miroku sent a bullet straight through the Oni's neck, followed by his lifeless hulk collapsing into the snow.

Miroku quickly discarded his empty musket and picked his shakujo staff up off the ground, fully expecting to be defending himself from another fearsome Oni onslaught within seconds. But this time there was nothing. No quaking ground or towering Oni charging at him. Only silence, snow, and darkness lay in front of him. Miroku suddenly found himself completely baffled. "What was going on? Hadn't there been three of them?" Admittedly he hadn't had the best observation point amid the thick foliage, but he was sure he had seen the outlines of three Oni in the dark, and had heard three distinct voices. So where was the other one?

For a moment, Miroku pondered the unthinkable. Had his effective slaying of the two other demons been so startling and overwhelming that he had actually caused the final one to flee in disgrace? "Now wouldn't that be something?" The monk thought to himself while continuing the visually scan his immediate surroundings. "A giant Oni fleeing from a lightly armed and unarmored Monk. Talk about a tale for the ages!" Back in his younger days, it would be a good story to impress the ladies. Now if nothing else, it would be a great tale to entertain his children, provided he left out some details, such as how he had come so close to death and how the whole time he had been scared out of his mind.

"No that's utter nonsense," the monk thought to himself. The remaining Oni was still out there somewhere. Why he wasn't attacking, Miroku had no idea, but it made no difference. All he knew for sure was that Sango was somewhere down near the wagons fighting for her life, and he had to get to her aid. Miroku briefly considered whether it was worth taking the time to pick up and reload his musket first when suddenly he sensed the presence of a massive oncoming force approaching from behind him. He swiftly turned around with staff raised, expecting to finally face the oddly absent Oni to be charging at him, only to be faced with an entirely different threat.

What was coming at him was a giant fireball, nearly twice the size of his body, moving fast and incinerating everything in its path. With no time to spare, Miroku used his spiritual powers to throw up a barrier only moments before it made contact. The barrier was just enough to absorb the impact of the fireball's blast, stopping it right in its tracks and causing it to dissipate harmlessly around Miroku, though the impact was still well felt, slamming into Miroku like a kick from a mule. Miroku groaned in pain and dropped to one knee, panting heavily for a moment before using his staff to pull himself back up.

Miroku took a quick around and was amazed by what he saw. Virtually everything that had been in the path of the blazing ball had been reduced to ash. Only a few of the strongest trees remained standing and they were now completely engulfed in flames. It didn't take long for Miroku to discover the source. At the end of the trail of destruction was where he saw it. The massive dark outline of the third Oni, who soon became fully illuminated by the the burning trees and he walked toward Miroku. As he came closer, Miroku could see a devious grin on the demon's face.

"Very good, Monk!" The Demon bellowed in delight. "Not only are you a fine warrior, but your spiritual powers are most impressive. There aren't a lot of humans around who can handle one of my blasts." With that, the huge Oni raised his hands together and fire started to appear around them. "Let's see if you can handle any more!"

Miroku had no interest in finding out. No sooner had he realized that he was dealing with a spell-casting Oni before another fireball came hurling at him, much smaller than the first, but every bit as fast and deadly. This certainly explained his earlier inquiry about how that human wagons had caught fire in the middle of a snow storm, though it this information provided him no comfort or no clues as to what he should do about it. All he knew for sure was that his barrier couldn't absorb too many more of these deadly blows, and he decided that it would be better to evade with more conventional means, this time by leaping out of the way.

"So, you don't wish to participate in my little test," the Oni remarked sarcastically. "No matter. I guess we'll just have to test my accuracy instead."

Shot after shot rained down around Miroku as took off across the hill top, until finally he had no room left to maneuver. Nowhere left to run except down. With another large fireball bearing down on him, Miroku sucked in his breath and leaped off the hillside, rolling downhill for a considerable distance before coming to a halt amid a sea of snow. Quickly snapping up to his feet, he looked back up to see his demon foe still on the hill top, towering above him with death in his eyes.

"It's time to end this little game!" he roared as he gathered up his energy for a single massive blast. As Miroku rose to his feet, he could see dark energies gathering around the giant Oni, and small flames starting to flicker its skin. This was all he needed to realize an enormous attack was coming, and Miroku most certainly didn't feel like sticking around to see the results. Running was his only option now. From the top of the hill, the demon was too far away for his sutras or a pistol shot, and his empty musket was still lying empty back up on the hill.

Miroku only had one thing in his favor. Unlike the top of the hill, the bottom was near a wooded area which provided excellent cover. The only challenge would be finding something appropriately fire-proof, and time was running out. Even from this distance, he could sense the dark energies gathering around the Oni on the hill above as he took off through the woodlands, leaping over a fallen tree and dashing around a clump of bushes before finally finding the shelter he was looking for. Miroku hurled himself behind a cluster of boulders and threw up the strongest barrier he could muster as the sinister Oni unleashed a massive burst of fire, like a giant tidal wave of flame washing over the land, Miroku huddled beneath his cover and waited for the end.

After several seconds that seemed to last an eternity, Miroku realized it was over. The effect had dissipated and he slowly rose to his feet, finding himself totally aghast at the results. The entire area around him, stretching out for nearly 200 yards, had been reduced to a burned out smoldering wreck. All the snow was gone, trees still aflame, and dead wildlife littered strewn about the area, providing a notable contrast to the swirling snow and blanket of white on the ground around in the lands outside it. Only Miroku, protected by his cover and spiritual powers, seemed to be still standing amid the ruins.

Miroku stumbled out the carnage, badly shaken but for the most part unharmed, when suddenly he snapped alert as it downed on him the Oni that had thrown out this sheet of flames was sill very much alive. As soon as he realized this, he look up to the hill where he had last seen it, just in time to watch the towering demon take a giant leap from the hill top down to to Miroku in the woods below, completely unphased by the giant fall as he landed perfectly on two feet while swinging a naginata spear down at Miroku, intending to slice him in half.

Miroku easily dove out of the way, but had no respite as the demon followed up with more downward strikes while screaming wildly, his patience in dealing with his troublesome foe clearly at an end. Now he was all out of tricks and was simply trying to cut into the weary Monk while he was still on the ground. Miroku deftly rolled out of the way, dodging two more errant blows, but as he attempted to get up he was quickly slammed back down to the charred ground by a hard kick to ribs.

Groaning in pain, Miroku looked up to see the Demon hulking over him, raising his naginata for yet another strike. But this time, Miroku was able to counter by quickly reaching into robe, grabbing an enchanted sutra, and hurling it straight at the demon the moment his hand cleared the garments. His throw was pure reflex, without even the slightest semblance of aim, but at this range it was virtually impossible to miss. The deadly sutra struck the huge Oni straight in the belly and immediately latched on, causing him to bellow out in pain and drop his large pole-arm, desperately trying to claw it off before he was fully purified.

Realizing this might be his only chance to end this fight as the victor, Miroku quickly reached for the closest weapon at hand: the large naginata dropped by his demon foe. But no sooner had he gotten his hands around it then he saw the Oni yank the sutra off his body and toss it away, saving himself from the deadly threat that has neutralized one of his companions. Miroku quickly thrust the naginata in his hands upward from his position on the ground, hoping to impale the demon with a stab through the chest, but the Oni recovered just in time, managing to kick the pole-arm out of Miroku's hands just as he was bringing it up for the kill. Then he slammed his upraised foot straight down into Miroku's already battered ribs, pinning him hard against the ground.

"Enough with this nonsense!", the Oni roared as he quickly began applying downward pressure. "Guess I'll just have to crush the life out of you!"

Chocking and wheezing in pain, Miroku desperately tried to reach for another weapon within his robes, but this proved quite a challenge as the Oni's huge foot was directly on top of the sport where most of them were stored. Knowing he only had seconds to get one, he fumbled around until he felt the wooden grip of one of his pistols and put all his effort into attempting to draw it, finding it most difficult as the pressure on his body was fast becoming unbearable."

"Got to get it" The words flashed through Miroku's mind. "Get it out now or it's over!"

Meanwhile, the Oni above him applying the lethal pressure seemed to find the struggles of his human prey most amusing. "So you still have the spark left in you? How pathetic. There's no way...aaaaaaaaaah!"

Miroku watched in amazement as the giant Oni opponent which had been seconds away from smashing his organs into paste suddenly disintegrated into nothing in an instant, as if struck down from the heavens by some angry deity. For a moment, Miroku could only star dumbfounded, wondering what on earth had happened. The answer came soon as he saw the whirling object go past him, en route back to its owner. Even from his spot on the ground in near total darkness and surrounded by heavy snowfall, Miroku could still easily recognize it as his wife's signature weapon.

"Miroku!" Sango shouted, rushing up to her downed husband as the Hiraikotsu came back into her hands. "Oh thank heaven I found you in time. Are you alright?"

"Oh just lovely, my dear," Miroku replied sarcastically as he sat up while clutching his battered ribs. "I must say I'm glad to see you, though rest assured I had everything well in hand."

Sango was barely able to stifle a laugh as she stood over him. "Yes I can see everything was going brilliantly, but I figured I might as well lend some aid all the same."

"Well I suppose it was fitting seeing as you were the one who put us into the mess in the first place," Miroku pointed out, as the memory of what triggered their wild battle suddenly flashed back into his mind. "I'd love to hear what that was all about."

Sango's face suddenly flushed with embarrassment. "Oh yeah...um about that. Rest assured, I can explain," she stammered out as she extended her hand to help him off the ground.

Miroku sighed and accepted his wife's hand while starting to push himself off the ground with the other. "Great, because I seem to have this memory about us agreeing to-SANGO GET DOWN!"

At that moment, Miroku's response was cut off the horrifying sight of another Oni lunging out of the darkness directly behind Sango, while swinging a giant Nodachi sword right at the back of her head. Caught completely out of position with her back to the enemy, Sango had chance whatsoever to react. Upon realizing this, and with barely any reaction time of his own, Miroku did the only thing he could think of. He clutched her hand already in his grasp, grabbed onto her wrist with his other arm, and yanked down with all his might, falling back to the earth and pulling his wife down with him flat on top of his body, causing the demon's sword swing to miss by the narrowest of margins, so close that it sliced off the bottom portion of her pony tail.

This brought the pair only seconds of respite as the Oni raised up his giant sword up for a downward strike that would cut through them both, his movement slow and lumbering, most likely the result of the numerous gaping wounds visible on his heavily battered body. Miroku's right hand reflexively went to the folds of his robes to grab for a weapon, but once again he was obstructed, this time by Sango laid out across his chest. So instead, he reached into her slayer uniform, pulled out a poison vial, popped it open,and hurled the contents directly into the demon standing over them. Even with against an Oni with exceptional endurance, the poison effect was vicious, causing him to stumble backwards and scream in agony, his gigantic sword clattering to the ground as the deadly fluid burned through his skin.

Now it was Sango's turn. Having recovered from the shock the ambush, she pulled herself up on her knees, and twisted around, for the first time getting a look at the demon who had shown up from seemingly out of nowhere. To her surprise, she saw it was one of her opponents from her earlier battle. The one she had pounded into the rocks with numerous Hiraikotsu blows. Now it was clear those strikes had failed to kill him, and it was up to her to finish the task. She immediately grabbed her Hiraikotsu off the ground and hurled it back at him just as he was starting to push through the poison pain and charge in for another strike. It was a rather weak and awkward throw, as her current position forced her to twist around from her spot on top of Miroku to make the shot, but in his current poisoned state and close range, her target was unable to take any defensive action to avoid it. The gargantuan boomerang struck the Oni low along the ground, sheering off one of his legs before bouncing along the frozen surface of the earth and skidding to a halt.

Again, the Oni let out a great roar of pain and collapsed to the ground. But astoundingly, Sango soon realized he still wasn't out of the fight. The heavy blows from her Hiraikotsu, the poison dissolving his scaly flesh, and now even the amputation of his leg was not enough to keep him down. On the contrary, her last strike seemed to spur the Oni into an uncontrollable rage. Somehow disregarding the pain that would kill virtually any other living creature on earth, the downed demon pushed himself up with one arm while reaching for his dropped nodachi sword with the other.

Looking straight into his crazed eyes, Sango could practically read the demon's mind; sense his rage and desperation as he grasped his weapon and began to raise it up off the ground. But to what end? What was he going to do with it? As a result of stumbling backwards when struck by her poison and then having his leg sliced apart, the Oni was still a good ten feet away at least. Well out of sword range. And the notion of him trying to drag himself across the ground with one arm to hack them up with the other was laughable. They would both kill wretched monstrosity with ease.

Then as she saw the Oni hold himself up with one hand and continue to raise his sword with the other, it dawned on her. He was going to throw it! The notion of using the enormous nodachi sword as a throwing weapon seemed ridiculous. But the Oni's massive strength and close proximity Miroku and Sango, both tangled together, made it more then possible hew could sent it through both their hides. Knowing she needed to kill the demon within the next few seconds but lacking her ideal weapon for the task, Sango instinctively reached for her wakizashi, hoping against all odds she could get to the demon and thrust it through his skull in time.

But Sango didn't even get a chance to grasp the hilt of her sword. The moment Sango reached for it, she was suddenly flung over sideways by Miroku, who pushed her off his chest with his left arm while drawing a pistol from his robes with his right hand. The stunned slayer was sent rolling over to his left as Miroku quickly sat up, locked the steel into firing position with his left hand and lined up a shot.

"Gotta be perfect," Miroku thought as he moved the pistol into position, aiming right right at the demon's head. "No reflexive shooting. Only an instant kill will do." While the demon's massive size meant his head was a much larger target then most, Miroku knew this shot was going to be tough. His pistols were woefully inaccurate and he had never trained on them aiming for anything other than a center-mass hit. But a head shot was needed now, and he had precious little time to pull it off. Miroku looked the demon straight in the eyes, seeing the determination and desperation of his foe who knew just as well he too facing imminent death if did not act. Time itself seemed to flow in slow motion as the sword in the demon's hand finished raising and started the forward motion of a throw. Miroku placed the pistol directly in front of the demon's face and pulled the trigger, closing his eyes as the gun went off and hoping for the best.

Though smaller then his musket, the ensuing pistol shot seemed like the loudest thing he'd ever heard. His ears rang as the pistol shot came bursting out of the gun, tearing through the demon's forehead and bursting out the back of his skull. The nodachi sword in its right hand instantly fell to the ground, and the demon corpse dropped next to it a fraction of a second afterwords.

For a long moment, Miroku remained locked into position amid the swirling snow, his right arm still fully extended with the smoking empty pistol in his hand, fully taking in everything that had just occurred. How he had just made the most accurate pistol shot under the most adverse conditions, and close both he and his wife had come to death. Images started flooding into his mind. Again and again, seeing the giant sword swinging at the back of Sango's neck. It wasn't until he noticed movement on his left side, that of his wife whom he had so suddenly flung out of the way in order to remove the obstruction to his pistol strike, that snapped him back to reality.

"Miroku?" Sango spoke softly as she crawled back over him. "Looks like you got him..are you alri-"

Sango didn't even get a chance to finished her sentence before Miroku's left arm snaked around her, this time not to push her away but to pull her into a tight embrace. Completely disregarding the pain in his injured ribs as she was pressed flat against his chest, Miroku locked her into a deep passionate kiss as soon as her face closed in on his.

"Well okay then," Sango continued as soon as she got the chance to talk. "Looks like you're just fine".

Miroku was now beaming. "Perhaps, but you never can be sure. That demon did get quite a few hits in. I think it best we keep this up for a bit, just to be safe."

Sango couldn't help but laugh at this. Even after all they had all they would be through, he was still Miroku. "No seriously, Miroku, the snow is coming in harder. If we don't get moving we're going to freeze together in this position."

"Well the thing is, I don't actually have a huge problem with that.."

"I mean it, Miroku. Look you're not the only one grateful we're both alive, but we need to get moving," Sango continued. "One of the Oni said there were survivors among the wreckage back there. They won't last long in these elements. Heck at this rate, neither will we."

Finally Miroku was snapped to his senses, and both of them slowly rose to their feet. "So that's why you took them on?" He asked, suddenly remembering it was Sango who had gotten them into their current predicament despite promising she would not engage the demons. "Look Sango, I appreciate your charity, but don't you think you should have let me know about this before making such a critical decision?"

"I didn't have time!" Sango shot back as they slowly started gathering their dropped weapons. "They were going kill them. It was a judgement call that had to be done. Surely you can understand!"

Miroku sighed as he popped a fresh round into his pistol and began to reload it. "Yes, I can. But I hope you understand the situation you put us both in. You may have dragged us into someone else's war. These Oni might not have been out here on their own."

"I know," Sango replied meekly. "In fact, I heard them talking about someone who sent them. It sounded like someone important. All the more reason we need to get back to those wagons now. If anyone is still alive back there, they're our only hope of finding out what's going on."

"Indeed, I just hope you realize what you've got us into. It's not just our lives at risk like it was in the old days. We've got a family to take care of, and a town dealing with more then enough threats already."

Sango nodded. "Time will tell. But it can't be helped now. I made a choice and now we're going to have to see it through. Now come on. It's time to find out if we made it through this battle with anything other than our lives."


End file.
